August 2019 News Brief
Yes to the Year: Our WRWF Grantees and Annual Meeting Luncheon
2019 Nonprofit Grantees funded by WRWF
A sellout crowd of 250 WRWF members, guests, and grant representatives celebrated our amazingly generous community under a gorgeous mountain sky at the Trail Creek Cabin tent on August 7. Diana Citret’s stunning art, “Summer Aspens,” which graced the invitations and inspired the event’s décor, captures the essence of who WRWF is: its generous and supportive interconnections with the community, its ever-growing importance to the Wood River Valley, and the pursuit of philanthropic excellence by the 350 women who make up our Foundation.
Guest Artist for the Annual Luncheon, Diana Citret
The eleven projects we funded this year—NAMI Wood River Valley, Environmental Resource Center (ERC), BCRD Aquatic Center Revitalization, Blaine County Hunger Coalition: Bloom Youth Project, Blaine County Education Foundation (BCEF), Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley, Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children, Idaho Base Camp, Men’s Second Chance Living, St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation, and The Advocates – Safe Housing First—serve as a reminder of the difference we make in our community. We can all be proud of what we have accomplished to help make the Wood River Valley a better place to live and grow. From the pooled resources and member specified funds of the over 350 women who now make up the WRWF, we were able to award $267,918 to important community projects. The $53,000 in Member Designated gifts brought total 2019 WRWF contributions to $320,918.
Guests and members enjoyed champagne on the lawn prior to the Annual Meeting
Lisa Wild, Executive Director of the Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley spoke of the positive impact WRWF’s $35,000 grant would have on the day-to-day operations of their organization.
Lisa Wild, Executive Director of the Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley
The funds, which will be used for improvements and repairs to its little red house, will improve the safety and efficiency of the building, enabling the organization to better serve the needs of the community. Noting how beloved the little red house is to the clients and families it serves, Wild emphasized how important hospice and palliative care is to the Wood River Valley.
Terri Bullock, WRWF President-Elect
From Terri Bullock, our President-Elect:
This year’s Annual Meeting and Grants Celebration was another sell-out success thanks to the support of many, many volunteer members. In particular, Penny Weiss, chair of the WRWF Events Committee, has earned our continuing gratitude for her exceptional event skills—the room was simply gorgeous—and also because she and her company, The Event, subsidized much of the luncheon costs.
Penny Weiss, Board Member and WRWF Events Chair
As we all know, there is no such thing as a free lunch and to that point, we had two anonymous members who joined with our corporate sponsor Zions Bank to underwrite the costs for our non-profit partners to participate in the luncheon. With our small budget, the generosity of members who step in to provide extra support is appreciated beyond words. Thank you, ladies and thank you Zions!
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Grantee Spotlight: NAMI Wood River Valley
WRWF funded NAMI to support two part-time staff members
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides stigma-free advocacy, education, help with diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing support for youth and families in the Wood River Valley. The organization also provides community enrichment collaboration with other organizations within our community. WRWF granted NAMI $23,448 to support two part-time staff members to assist in the oversight of the adult Family Education/Support Group and Bluebird Youth Support Group Programs. The Bluebirds Teen Group, created by Amber Leyba-Castle, then a senior at Wood River High School, is a new and innovative program to engage, support, and educate youth living with mental illness or with that of a family member. Read her story here.
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Grantee Spotlight: Environmental Resource Center—Youth Environmental Education
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WRWF supported ERC youth education programing
For over 25 years, the Environmental Resource Center (ERC) has provided environmental education and inspired action to cultivate a healthy environment in Idaho’s Wood River Valley. The ERC youth education programs include in-school and after-school programs, overnight summer camps, and programs with collaborative partners such as the BCRD, The Hunger Coalition, The Community Library, The YMCA and St Luke’s. Programs reached pre-k to 12th grade students at 11 public and private Schools with 3800+ participants in 130 programs in 2018. Through hands-on outdoor learning, the ERC inspires passion and empowers students to become the next generation of stewards of our land, water and air. WRWF granted ERC $2,575 to support youth education programing through the purchase of scientific materials.
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Our WRWF Board and New Officers
Terri Bullock, President-Elect
Gina Wolcott, Vice-President, Operations
Kat Vanden Heuvel, Secretary
Carol Jensen, Treasurer
Kathleen Eder
Sandra Flattery
Gail Landis
Terri LeFaivre
Sandy McCullough
Louisa Moats
Carrie Morrow
Penny Weiss
Patti Zebrowski
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Summer Social 2019 – Mountain Humane
From Left: Kathleen Eder, Board member and Chair of the Membership Committee, Terri Bullock, WRWF President Elect, and Christina Bauer, WRWF Executive Assistant
This year’s Wood River Women’s Foundation Summer Social was held at Mountain Humane’s new campus in Croy Canyon in Hailey. More than 90 members and guests attended not only to celebrate the time and treasure that our WRWF members have given to the community, but to tour this beautiful new facility that is proud to be recognized as the first no kill shelter in Idaho. WRWF members and guests toured the spay/neuter medical center, the training and acquaintance center, the cat café and education barn, and of course, central bark.
Tricia Swartling spoke at this year’s Summer Social event
Tricia Swartling, CEO of The Advocates for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, shared how many of their programs were started with grants from WRWF, and these programs are still going strong today. Her words of inspiration, hope, and passion received a round of applause from attendees. In the spirit of continued giving, a raffle was held, and all proceeds from this raffle were contributed to the WRWF pooled grant fund to go back into Blaine County nonprofit support.
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WRWF Comings and Goings
Welcome Carol Jenson, WRWF Board Treasurer
Carol Jenson, newly elected Board member and WRWF Board Treasurer
Carol was unanimously elected to serve on the WRWF Board of Directors at the August board meeting and will begin her term in September. She has also been elected to serve as Board Treasurer. Board members typically serve two three-year terms. Candidates are vetted through the Nominating Committee before coming to the board for a vote.
A part-time resident of Sun Valley for the last 15 years, Carol has and continues to be a practicing CPA in her native Seattle for the past 30 years. She is a graduate of the University of Washington. She has two sons and two lovely daughters-in-law, and a new grandson.
Carol has been on numerous non-profit boards, chaired charity auctions, and volunteered in numerous capacities within the non-profit community since her late 20s, both in Seattle and Sun Valley. Philanthropy continues to be an important and rewarding part of her life.
Thank you Charlotta Harris, WRWF Photographer
Charlotta Harris, retiring WRWF photographer
Many heartfelt thanks to our outgoing photographer, Charlotta Harris, for giving a face to our numerous events over the past several years. Her visual narratives eloquently capture our joy as we embrace the philanthropic spirit through the many non-profits we support in the Wood River Valley.
Thank you Margery Friedlander and Sylvia Miller, Retired WRWF Board Members
From Left: Margery Friedlander and Sylvia Miller, outgoing WRWF Board members
Much gratitude to outgoing board members Margery Friedlander, Board Member at Large, and Sylvia Miller, Treasurer. Both have been gracious with their time and energy in their support of board work and committee leadership.
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Impact Focus Groups
As detailed in the May News Brief, the WRWF Grants Committee is taking a fresh look at the impact component of our grant process with the goal of ensuring that we continue to deliver outstanding stewardship. The Impact Team Task Force (ImpactTTF) has been created and we’re ready to dive into this work.
ImpactTTF is excited to invite you to share your impact experiences, impressions and recommendations by participating in a focus group on one of the following dates:
1. Thursday, August 22, 11:00 AM
2. Thursday, August 29, 3:30 PM
To sign up for a focus group, please contact:
Christina Bauer, WRWF Executive Assistant,
at christinabwrwf@gmail.com or call (208) 309-2530. All sessions will take place in the Ketchum Works Boardroom which seats 10-12. Additional sessions will be scheduled if these dates fill up.
Please note: For those who cannot attend a focus group or are not in the Wood River Valley during August, you are welcome to participate in writing. Please let Christina know of your interest and we will send you a questionnaire.
We hope you will take this opportunity to share your voice and we look forward to your participation in this important work.
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Strategic Plan: Advancing Mission – Building Sustainability
August Update
Operations Sub-committee led by Carrie Morrow
All three subcommittees—Leadership Development, Operations and Governance—have successfully launched and are actively pursuing their piece of the two-year Strategic Plan:
Chairs are named.
Subcommittee members have been recruited.
All subcommittees have met.
All have set their core direction to achieve the goals and are aligned with the plan’s timeline.
All have initiated actions in pursuit of the goals and will collaborate among subcommittees to ensure consistency in progress.
Thanks to the many of you who volunteered to engage in our plan implementation and great job on making good progress. Building out the foundation of our Foundation is key to our future success!
–Terri Bullock, Strategic Plan Chair
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In Memoriam
With deep sympathy and gratitude for their generosity, we honor the passing of:
Camille McCray, Founding Member of WRWF and
Member of Endowment Founders Circle
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Ruthie Lieder, long-time Member of WRWF and
Member of Endowment Founders Circle
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Education Events
Forum on Charitable Giving for Maximum Benefit: Why, How, and in What Way
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
5:30-7:30 PM
The Community Library (Ketchum)
The WRWF Education Committee invites you to attend a panel discussion on Charitable Giving for Maximum Benefit in the Community Library Conference Room. The panel will be made up of Suzanne Hazlett, Financial Advisor; Sandra Clapp, Estate and Trust Attorney; Cate Cox, Marriage and Family Therapist, and Terri Bullock, President of WRWF. Come and participate in this open discussion on topics ranging from changes in tax laws to the many ways we can give back to our community. This evening the Giving Guide of the Wood River Valley will be launched. The forum is free and open to the public; guests are welcome!
If you can’t make it to the event, you can still watch it using Livestream by clicking here.
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Looking Ahead – Member Events
WRWF Meet and Mingle
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
5:00pm – 6:30pm
Cafe Della
103 S. Main Street, Hailey
Next to Luke’s Pharmacy and across from The Mint
WRWF Orientation Brunch
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
10:00am – 12pm
At the home of Mindy Meads
223 Gem Street, Ketchum
*Upcoming events are also posted on our website’s calendar page.*
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Peggy Grove, Outgoing WRWF President
Thank you Peggy!!
Many, many thanks to our outgoing WRWF President, Peggy Grove. During her two-year term, Peggy has immeasurably enhanced our organization, drawing on her background as an anthropologist and cultural historian to lead and support the strong and creative women of the Wood River Women’s Foundation. As she notes, “We are representatives of a Foundation where transformation is taking place, both within and out into the community. We make a difference in our world.” Peggy recounts innumerable, gratifying moments during her tenure, but most of all she reports feeling “restored and energized” by the women around her who discover the impact they make by pooling their resources and making their own funding decisions. Her closing message follows:
Turning over the Presidency
I learned early on in life (as a waitress during those hot college summers, as a researcher who was always looking for new discoveries on my walkabouts in an arid environment, and as someone who came to love to entertain later in life) that if I have a full glass of water, I will succeed in reaching the table or the person who is thirsty and needs a drink, which needs to occur without spilling a drop, if I look directly at the water as I walk along. Never take your eye off that which is of prime importance as you move forward!
And that is the epitome—the essence—of a President’s position which Terri Bullock will carry off in superb fashion. She will always look at this very full glass and always continue to move forward. Please help me in welcoming Terri Bullock as President of WRWF!
Peggy Grove, Ph.D.
Outgoing WRWF President
Our Mission Statement
Wood River Women’s Foundation inspires and educates women to become leaders in philanthropy. We encourage and create significant positive change in our community through pooled grant-making.
PO Box 3686
Ketchum, ID 83340
(208) 309-2530
Mark Your Calendar:
Wednesday, August 21st, 5:30-7:30pm
Donor Education Event: Panel on Charitable Giving
The Community Library Conference Room, Ketchum
Free and open to public
Tuesday, September 17th, 5pm-6:30pm
Meet & Mingle
Cafe Della (103 S. Main Street, Hailey)
Wednesday, October 23rd, 10am-12pm
WRWF Orientation Brunch
At the home of Mindy Meads (223 Gem Street, Ketchum)
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Welcome New Members
Tana Aardal
Sun Valley, ID
Melissa Masucci
Hailey, ID
Tina Mehan
Kentfield, CA
Candice Stark
Ketchum, ID
Carol Thompson
Lake Oswego, OR
Beverly Tiffany
Los Angeles, CA
Welcome back Fan Moberg!
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News Brief Team:
Stephanie Chamberlain
Sandy McCullough
Photographers:
Charlotta Harris
Leslie Silva
